MILLIONS tuned in to watch the stars at the Brits last week but young Glasgow entrepreneur Richy Muirhead reckons his awards bash is the winner when it comes to musical integrity.

He founded the Scottish Alternative Music Awards five years ago as part of his MA in Entrepreneurship and Music Innovation at the University of the West of Scotland.

Richy, from Pollokshields, has watched the event’s profile steadily increase since then.

And while they don’t have the commercial impact of the Brits, he says it’s great to highlight Scotland’s vibrant music scene.

Richy, 25, said; “A lot of these big shows are all about the commercial side but we’re a music awards ceremony for real music lovers. We’re a lot less focused on sales and more about highlighting the creativity and imagination of the artists.

“These are acts who don’t get the attention they deserve – DIY bands who go on tour for two weeks on a low budget but they do it for the passion, for the experience.

“I’ve known these bands for years, so it’s nice to finally have them all in the same room and celebrate what really goes on in Scottish music.”

This year’s event is at The Garage in Glasgow on Friday, March 7, and the impressive line-up on the night includes The LaFontaines, Brown Bear and The Bandits, Model Aeroplanes and Bear Arms.

When he was starting out, Richy found support from his university was a key factor in turning the awards from an academic project into a full-time job.